Meta is limiting political content. Don't panic. Plan.
Ready to fire up your base and turn supporters into advocates? Don’t rely on social networks to be overly helpful up through election day and as you craft contingency plans, no matter the outcome.
With the 2024 election looming, political advocacy organizations face new challenges in growing their online audience. With Meta (Facebook and Instagram) limiting political content from accounts users don’t follow, it’s becoming harder for advocacy groups to rely solely on organic reach to grow on social media. A digital strategy is crucial to staying relevant and expanding your audience, and we’ve got three key strategies to explore.
1. Collaborate with Like-Minded Organizations and Influencers
An effective way to expand your online audience is through cross-promotion with friendly groups and influencers in your space. By collaborating with like-minded organizations or individuals, you can reach new audiences who share an interest in the cause. Here are some tips for successful collaborations:
Partner with influencers who align with your mission and have established followings that can spread your message to new demographics.
Engage in joint campaigns or social media takeovers to share content with a broader audience.
Cross-promote posts by tagging partners, adding their accounts as collaborators, and encouraging them to share posts in real-time on stories.
Collaboration creates organic connections and amplifies your message, making it easier to grow your online presence and build a more engaged and authentic audience.
2. Throw Money at the Problem: Boost Your Audience with Targeted Paid Media
In today’s digital landscape, social media platforms are largely "pay to play." Investing in paid media is essential to maximize audience reach. Even the most compelling content might not reach the intended audience without paid promotion. Your advocacy organization should consider dedicating resources to targeted ads to grow a following and attract supporters. By tailoring ads to people most likely to resonate with your mission, you can create a steady stream of new followers and activists who will engage with and share content during critical moments in the news cycle.
3. Maintain a Regular Posting Cadence and Use a Social Media Calendar
One of the best ways to grow your online audience is by maintaining a regular posting schedule. A social media calendar helps plan and schedule content in advance, ensuring consistency. Make the most of your content strategy:
Develop content pillars around core messaging, such as grassroots efforts, policy messaging, or community stories.
Stay current with trending political news by drafting rapid-response content to engage in real-time discussions.
To keep audiences engaged, mix content types such as vertical videos, infographics, and blog posts to keep audiences engaged.
Don’t be afraid to stir the pot with content that will spark dialogue. Sure, it may bring out detractors, but it can also fire up your base--- and drive up that oh-so-important engagement rate.
4. Apply a grassroots mindset to community management
Effective community management is about real-time engagement. Reply to comments and questions to show your audience that you’re listening. Consider outbound commenting on popular posts related to your issue or cause—this helps reach new people and establish your organization as an active voice in the movement.
Consistency is crucial for staying relevant on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. Regular posting builds trust with your followers and improves brand visibility in social media algorithms.
Building an engaged, responsive online audience requires a mix of strategy, collaboration, and investment. As Meta and other platforms shift their focus away from political content, advocacy organizations must adapt their approach to activate and mobilize supporters (and stay at the top of their feed).
Contact us to learn more about how HausCo can help grow your brand’s online presence.
